Arenarules

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earthwormjim
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Re: Arenarules

Post by earthwormjim »

razerdave wrote:As for a low walled arena, I would like to be able to push out on 2 sides and have to flip out on the other 2, or in any preferred geometry with the same effect,
That is exactly what I think. :)
Isn't the German MMM arena acrylic or poly??
Looks great,whatever it is.Steel would be great too. :)
Anyone know the dimensions of Olivers arena.
I guess the trick would be managing to det the 15cm ditch around the whole arena,and having a big enough "playing surface",while still trying to fit it into the present battleboxes. :-?
Also is there a rule,or even a preference to battlebox height??
Also Peter,do your dimensions include the ditch,or is it just the playing surface? Thanks. :)
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peterwaller
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Re: Arenarules

Post by peterwaller »

Just the playing surface the ditch at each end is 145mm.
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earthwormjim
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Re: Arenarules

Post by earthwormjim »

Thanks Peter. :)
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Re: Arenarules

Post by PBx »

razerdave wrote:As for a low walled arena, I would like to be able to push out on 2 sides and have to flip out on the other 2, or in any preferred geometry with the same effect
I would heartily support the ditch all the way round with a stated wall height for the non-push off areas.
I am just putting a practice arena together and will be adopting this approach.
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earthwormjim
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Re: Arenarules

Post by earthwormjim »

The rules wouldnt need to change.It would,as far as I can see be 100% legal.
The only pain is that battleboxes will need to be bigger to accomodate the ditch. :(
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Re: Arenarules

Post by Craig_Anto3 »

Acryllic will shatter it should not be used as protective screens
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Re: Arenarules

Post by earthwormjim »

PBx wrote: I would heartily support the ditch all the way round with a stated wall height for the non-push off areas.
I am just putting a practice arena together and will be adopting this approach.
If you build it,they will come. :D
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Re: Arenarules

Post by razerdave »

When I built my RL arena it was meant to have removable walls do robots could be pushed out, but I prefer my own arena with the 4 walls you can flip over (or through in a few cases) and the pit in the corner, takes a bit more skill.
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Re: Arenarules

Post by Remote-Controlled Dave »

Well, I, for one, would definitely object to an arena with low walls as the non-drop-off sides (like I object to Oliver's arena). This type of arena is highly bias towards flippers in such a way as to make it unfair. Basically, if you have a flipper, all four sides of the arena become a drop off zone if you only have low walls. Oliver even said to me once that he built his arena for this reason, that it was easier for his robots to win in it.
Jim, you say "pushers have the drop off zones, what's the point in building a flipper?" I think this is entirely the wrong way of looking at it. Its the same kind of thinking as when Andrew Hibbard said it should be in the rules that if a spinner throws itself out from its own inertia, it should be allowed to be put back in so the battle can continue. Its completely bias and unacceptable to have an area of an arena where ONLY flippers can get their opponent out on two sides. The drop off zone is not "just for pushers", its for all types of design. People build flippers for many reasons, to discombobulate the other robot's driver by turning them over, to lift their oppoents wheels off the ground so they can push them out, or, in the case of Anticide or Flippant, to throw them out from the arena centre. If you introduce low walls into the equation too, then the whole thing is in favour of any robot with a flipper. Anticide wouldn't even have to drive, it could just launch its opponent from the centre in any direction and it would go out.
The only way I wouldn't object to this idea is if you had two solid walls, one straight drop off, and one side with low walls, but this would be against the 50% drop off rule. I would personally always argue that any arena with 2 straight drop off zones, and two sides with low walls and a ditch gives an unfair advantage to flippers and therefore should not be used for official events.
Arenas and rules have to be kept so that one single type of robot is in no way at an advantage over other types. The last thing I want is for ants to go like heavyweights, where everyone feels they HAVE to build a flipper or else they are at an automatic disadvantage. That type of arena would do this, and I notice the only people who've said its a good idea are the people who own a flipper.
Listen guys, there are fundamental rules to antweight combat. The weight limit, the cube rule, and the fact we have drop off zones are all quinessential rules that form the spine of antweight combat. Someone said about removing the cube rule recently and a few people supported it, but its not going to happen. We are not looking to "add new dimensions to antweight combat". The dimensions are all set, then you build your robot within those parameters however you like. People who own a flipper would like to be able to throw people out over all sides of the arena. People with a spinner would like to fight in a fully enclosed arena. People who build pushers would probably welcome a drop off on all four sides. Maybe people would like to reduce the drop off zone. None of these things are going to happen. They are the RULES and they are in place so that no one type of robot has an advantage over any other type. We don't need "new dimensions to antweight combat". We need to keep the sport as it is, and make the robots more innovative. Trying to change the arena to suit your robot is just a form of cheating.
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Re: Arenarules

Post by Psychostorm »

razerdave wrote:When I built my RL arena it was meant to have removable walls do robots could be pushed out, but I prefer my own arena with the 4 walls you can flip over (or through in a few cases) and the pit in the corner, takes a bit more skill.
I beg to disagree Dave. It takes no skill at all to fall into that pit! :D Done it loads of times.
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